Melanocryptus cyaneus (Schmiedeknecht, 1908)

Aguiar, Alexandre P. & Santos, Bernardo F., 2015, Revision of Melanocryptus Cameron (Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with description of seven new species, American Museum Novitates 2015 (3836), pp. 1-56 : 20-24

Melanocryptus cyaneus (Schmiedeknecht, 1908)

Figures 16 , 33 , 45 , 55 , 65 , 82–86 , 121

Lobocryptus cyaneus Schmiedeknecht, 1908: 10 . ♀. Original description, figure (plate 1). Type lost according to Townes and Townes, 1966.

Melanocryptus cyaneus (Schmiedeknecht) : Townes and Townes, 1966: 68, catalog, synonymy. Townes, 1970: 299, listed. Yu and Horstmann, 1997: 269, catalog.

Melanocryptus sp. : Townes, 1970: 490, figure 258a, ♀.

REDESCRIPTION: Female. Forewing 14.5 mm. Supraclypeal area flat, dorsally, near toruli, with minute brownish callosity (fig. 83); supraantennal area laterally smooth, centrally with distinct coronal suture, which receives on each side several oblique to transverse carinae. Antenna with 28 flagellomeres (n = 2). Malar space 0.91–1.10× mandible basal width (n = 4). Occipital carina in lateral view, on its basal 0.4, with slight emargination; apically making an abrupt shift inward before meeting the hypostomal carina (fig. 84). Pronotum dorsally mostly flat, then posteriorly bent upward, but not forming a transverse channel or shaft (figs. 85–86); epomia distinct, well developed; ventroposterior margin crenulate, otherwise smooth, shiny (fig. 45). Mesoscutum mostly smooth, shiny (figs. 85–86). Notaulus deep, entirely distinctly crenulate, converging posteriorly, reaching clearly beyond level of tegula, ending near posterior 0.2 of mesoscutum (figs. 85–86). Axillary trough of mesonotum basally widely concave, with 4–5 thick crenulations, apically almost perfectly fused to and with same sculpture of scutellum (fig. 33). Scutellar carina weakly advanced over scutellum, which is protuberant, quite rounded (fig. 33). Epicnemial carina reaching 0.8–1.0 of distance to subalar ridge, shape as in figure 45. Subalar ridge narrow, delicate. Sternaulus nearly straight, deep, crenulate, restricted to anterior 0.55; mesepisternum smooth (fig. 45). Forewing (fig. 16) vein 1M+Rs perfectly uniform, without indication of original point of connection between Rs and M; crossvein 1cu-a basal to 1M by about 0.15 its own length; vein 2Cua 1.56× length of crossvein 2cu-a. Hind wing (fig. 16) vein Cua 1.44× length of crossvein cu-a.

Transverse furrow at base of propodeum deep, entirely densely crenulate, regular width; anterior margin of propodeum sinking progressively into the transverse furrow, thus not forming a border or step (fig. 55). Propodeum anterior transverse carina interrupted on central 0.3, where both sides bend anteriorly at 90°, until almost reaching transverse furrow (fig. 55); apophyses tall, thorn shaped (figs. 45, 55), posterior transverse carina indicated by rugulosities, or distinct laterally; propodeum otherwise smooth, shiny. Propodeal spiracle quite elongate, 3.36–3.40× longer than wide (n = 2). Pleural carina complete, linear. Metapleuron with few weak transverse rugosities centroposteriorly, partially hidden by pilosity. T1 spiracle at middle (basal 0.52–0.53); dorsolateral carina weak, hardly distinct from spiracle to apex only; ventrolateral carina absent; sternite ending slightly basad, almost opposite spiracle. T1–8 smooth, polished. Ovipositor blade shaped, 2.75–2.77× taller than wide, straight, 1.55× length of hind tibia; ventral valve ridges without subapical irregularity (fig. 65A), but basalmost ridge reduced to a small tubercle (fig. 65B), ridges otherwise regular.

Pilosity. Supraclypeal area with dense, white, ventrally decumbent pilosity (figs. 82–83). Pronotum collar, especially laterally, propleuron, mesepisternum ventral half, mesopseudosternum, mesepimeron dorsally, metapleuron, and propodeum weakly, except glabrous on area anterior to anterior transverse carina, covered with dense whitish to silvery pilosity, most intense on metapleuron. Tergites 2–7 with yellowish, short pilosity, progressively denser toward T8.

Color. Apparently blackish at first sight, but on close inspection dark blue with metallic and violaceous luster; otherwise as follows. Pale yellow to whitish at maxillar and labial palpi, except brown apical article, small spot on gena centrally at eye margin and supraantennal area on dorsal 0.7 at eye margin, fore t1–4, tegula mesally on posterior 0.7, small spots at apical corners of T1, wide triangular spots or M-shaped stripe on T2 posterior margin, and large round spot laterally on T5. Fore- and midtibiae somewhat brown. Ovipositor sheath dark brown. Wings hyaline with dark stripes (fig. 16). Forewing centrally with large brown to black spot extending from posterior margin to about apical 0.2 of vein 1M, and wide stripe subapically, extending from anterior margin, crossing areolet, almost but not reaching posterior margin. Hind wing (fig. 16) apical 0.2 weakly infuscate, Costal cell entirely dark infuscate.

MALE (first record): Similar to female, most important differences as follows. Smaller, forewing 10.70 mm. S1 ending distinctly beyond spiracle. Color: Metasoma without yellow marks. Yellow spot on gena linear, narrow. Foretibia apex ventrally and laterally yellowish, t1–4 whitish; midtibia basal end and t1 basal 0.9 yellowish brown. Stripes on forewing tend to be smaller due to overall small size of male.

BIOLOGY: Unknown.

VARIATION: Yellowish spot at posterior eye margin from distinct to absent; apical white bands on T2 and T7 sometimes complete, just a little narrower medially, sometimes interrupted medially; forewing veins 2Cu and 2cu-a can be perfectly aligned, forming a single straight diagonal line.

COMMENTS: Somewhat similar and apparently most related to M. niger , with which it shares body mostly dark with bluish or violaceous reflections, and few yellow marks, forewing with two large dark stripes, color pattern repeated on hind wing; distinctly bladeshaped ovipositor, and similar overall pilosity pattern (see also Comments for M. niger ). Nonetheless, M. cyaneus is promptly recognized by its much more intense dark blue and violaceous metallic reflections (vs. appearing mostly black in M. niger ; fig. 45 vs. 43), T2 and T7 with large apical yellowish marks (vs. absent in M. niger ), supraclypeal area flat, without a conspicuous dorsal prominence near toruli (vs. distinct; fig. 83 vs. 93), and anterior transverse carina centrally widely interrupted (vs. approximate, narrowly interrupted in M. niger ; fig. 55 vs. 56). The forewing 2Cua/2cu-a = 1.63 and hind wing Cua/ cu-a = 1.21 are both also distinct from M. niger , for which these values are around 1.10 and 1.40, respectively.

The female of this species also has several unique features in relation to the other Melanocryptus spp. : anterior margin of propodeum sinks progressively into the transverse furrow, thus not forming a border or step (vs. with distinct step and margin; e.g., fig. 55 vs. 58), very pilose supraclypeal area and mesepisternum lateroposteriorly (vs. glabrous to sparsely pilose); anterior transverse carina centrally widely interrupted and curved forward (vs. complete); tall, thorn- or tongue-shaped propodeal apophyses (vs. low, scale shaped); forewing vein 2Cua distinctly longer than crossvein 2cu-a (vs. smaller or at most of the same size); notaulus reaching far into the posterior margin, ending behind level of tegulae (vs. ending centrally, at level of tegulae); body mostly smooth, shiny (vs. matte, nearly entirely covered with delicate sculpturing); petiole basally with weakly developed dorsolateral and ventrolateral carinae (vs. stout); propodeal spiracle very elongate, length 3.37× width (vs. at most 3.00); pleural carina complete, stout (vs. fragmented, mostly indicated by confluent sculpturing); ventral valve of ovipositor with regular ridges (vs. with subapical irregularity on all other species except M. niger ).

Males of M. cyaneus have two conspicuous dark spots on the forewing (vs. entirely hyaline in the single known male specimen of M. niger ); head and scape are entirely bluish with metallic reflections (vs. supraclypeal area, wide stripe on scape, and gena, entirely yellow, and dorsal bump near toruli brownish in M. niger ); and the midtibia is bluish, except basal end yellowish (vs. almost entirely yellowish, except ventrally brown in M. niger ).

DISTRIBUTION: Costa Rica (first record), Panama, Venezuela (first record), Colombia (first record), Ecuador (first record) (fig. 121). Townes and Townes (1966) mention “ Panama: Chiriqui ” for the type specimen, even though they report that the type is lost, and the label information is not originally cited by Schmiedeknecht (1908), who mentions only “ Central America. ”

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Seven females, three males. COLOMBIA : ♀ Colombia: Dept. Valle, Lower Anchicayá , Alt. 400 m . Tropical very wet forest, Netted , R. Wilkerson, IV.2.76.7 ( FSCA) ; ♂ Colombia: Dept. Valle Central de Anchicaya, 30 km E. Buenaventura, Tropical very wet forest, 560 m, R. C. Wilkerson , 12-VI-1975, Malaise trap ( FSCA) . COSTA RICA: ♀ Heredia, La Selva , 10-17. VIII.1987, J. Brambila ( AEIC) ; ♂ San Carlos, Schild and Burgdorf leg., no date ( USNM) . ECUA- DOR: ♀ Ecuador, Pr. Napo, Rio Oyacachi, bei, El Chaco , 1500 m, 8-13. VI.1977, W. Schacht ( ZSMC) ; ♂ Ecuador, Pichincha, Nambillo Valley near Mindo , 1450 m, 5.VII.1987, M. Cooper ( BMNH) ; ♀ Palmar, Manabi, Ecuad. , 0°10′S 79°28′W, 07.IV. 1941, 200 m ( AMNH) . PANAMA: ♀ Darien, 1967, C.A. Triplehorn. ( FSCA) ; ♀ Porto Bello , 28.II.1911, A. Busck leg. [this is the specimen illustrated in fig. 258a in Townes 1970: 490, as indicated by yellow label pinned with the specimen] ( USNM) .

VENEZUELA: ♀ Caracas, Styrup, Mus: Drens ( ZMUC) .

Figures

FIGURES 10–21. Right wings. 10, Melanocryptus niger, female from Bolivia. 11, M. niger, female from Colombia. 12, M. tupan, female from southern Brazil. 13, M. tupan, male from southeastern Brazil. 14, M. aurantius, female holotype. 15, M. whartoni, male from French Guiana. 16, M. cyaneus, female from Venezuela. 17, M. tesselatus, female holotype. 18, M. delos, female. 19, M. hadroglyptus, female holotype. 20, M. dnopheros, female holotype. 21, M. violaceipennis, female from Suriname.

FIGURES 31–41. Mesoscutum and scutellum in dorsolateral view, left side, to show structure of axillary through. All females, except last one. 31, Melanocryptus tesselatus, holotype. 32, M. aurantius, holotype. 33, M. cyaneus. 34, M. delos, holotype. 35–36, M. dnopheros, holotype: dorsal and dorsolateral views. 37, M. hadroglyptus, holotype (flipped horizontally). 38, M. niger. 39, M. violaceipennis (flipped horizontally). 40–41, M. tupan: female from southern Brazil and male from southeastern Brazil.

FIGURES 42–47. Mesosoma, left, females. 42, M. hadroglyptus, holotype (white spot on pronotum is a mite). 43, M. niger. 44, M. aurantius, holotype. 45, M. cyaneus. 46, M. delos, holotype. 47, M. hadroglyptus, holotype (mite on pronotum digitally erased).

FIGURES 55–60. Propodeum, dorsal. All females, except last one. 55, M. cyaneus. 56, M. niger. 57, M. tupan, female from southern Brazil. 58, M. dnopheros, holotype. 59, M. violaceipennis. 60, M. tupan, male from southeastern Brazil.

FIGURES 61–69. Ovipositor and ovipositor tip, left. 61A–B, M. aurantius, holotype. 62, M. tesselatus, holotype. 63, M. hadroglyptus, holotype. 64, M. niger. 65A–B, M. cyaneus. 66, M. delos, holotype. 67, M. rufigladius, holotype. 68, M. tupan. 69, M. tesselatus, paratype.

FIGURES 82–86. Melanocryptus cyaneus, female. 82–83, Supraclypeal area, frontolateral and frontal. 84, Gena. 85–86, Pronotum and mesoscutum, dorsal, and dorsolateral. Figures 87–88. Melanocryptus delos, female holotype. Pronotum and mesoscutum, dorsal and dorsolateral.

FIGURES 118–123. Distribution maps for species of Melanocryptus, sorted from most northern to most southern taxa. 118, M. whartoni. 119, M. tesselatus. 120, M. hadroglyptus. 121, M. cyaneus. 122, M. dnopheros. 123, M. rufigladius (triangle) and M. violaceipennis (circles).